1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a printed circuit board (PCB) module for a device including a main body and a sub body configured to perform an opening/closing operation with respect to the main body in a predetermined direction, and in particular, to an inseparable PCB module that can reduce an entire thickness and volume of a device and have a simple assembly structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of various electronic and communication technologies, devices provide more functions while maintaining their present small size. Furthermore, as additional functions are added to the basic functions of a device, various individual functions are being gradually integrated into one device. Also, devices are undergoing a transition from a bar type to a folder or slide type. Such a transition is made because the folder type or slide type devices can respond better to users' changing demands, even though those different types of devices have the same functions. The transition will now be described in detail, using a mobile terminal as an example.
As mobile terminals have come into wide use, mobile terminals having various designs and additional functions as well as basic voice-communication functions are being released in response to users' demands. The terminals have evolved from a bar type to a flip type, a flip-up type, and a folder type. Of the various types of terminals, the folder type terminals seem to be the most popular in the current mainstream. This is because the folder type terminal has a space large enough to allow adoption of a wide LCD panel as a display unit, and is folded into half, thus providing better portability than the other terminals.
Also, a new type of terminal has been emerged which may be equipped with a display unit having a wide LCD panel as large as the aforementioned folder type terminal, and can contribute to miniaturization of a terminal while still meeting users' various demands. This type of terminal is called a slide type terminal. Such a slide type terminal includes a main body and a sub body (generally called ‘a slide body’) that slides over a predetermined distance in the lengthwise direction of the terminal to open the terminal, and it can meet users' changing tastes better than the existing folder type terminal. Besides the mentioned types of terminals, pop-up terminals, slide and rotation type terminals, etc. are being continuously released.
Most of the terminals have a main body including a main board, and a sub body (e.g., a folder, a slide body, a pop-up body, etc.) performing a predetermined operation with respect to the main body. Most electronic components including a terminal control chip are mounted on the main board of the main body. Also, the main body receives power directly from a power supply. The sub body includes a LCD panel as a display unit and receives power and receives/transmits data through an electrical connection unit extending from the main body.
However, it is difficult to assemble the internal structure of the sub body configured in the aforementioned manner because an LCD panel is electrically connected to a rigid sub PCB through a separate connector, a separate key assembly is mounted thereon, and a separate electrical connection unit having one end connected to the main body and the other end connected to the sub PCB is typically required. Also, an open circuit may occur due to the frequent operation of the terminal. Specifically, because the sub PCB and the LCD panel are separately assembled, an entire volume and thickness of the terminal increases, which goes against the current tendency toward a slim profile and a light weight of the terminal.